Joint Programs - DO/MPH

I have thought about doing the dual degree but decided not to until the second year. There was an article in the Innominate (DMU's Student Newsletter) regarding a person doing the Dual degree and she said it was very doable and that it wasn't as hard as everyone things. You do miss the occasional get together after examination because you have papers or a different test for the other degree.

You can search the DMU website and look under publication "Innominate" and then look through old publications...

Good luck.

 

Hey...KCOM has several joint MS programs. There is an MPH (MS Public Health), MS in Geriatrics, MHA (MS in Health Admin) and an MBA w/ an emphasis in healthcare to begin this coming fall/spring.

 

Another thing to consider is what you want to do with the MPH in the end - it is an amazingly diverse degree but you don't want to go into the program just for the sake of a few extra letters behind your name. I defend my MPH thesis next Thursday from the Univ of MN program - I entered that before med school and finished my coursework about 3.5 yrs ago, began my thesis #1, had to trash it and start over, and have only been able to give minimal time and attention to it once starting med school (i just finished year 2 at DMU-OMC).

It's great to learn about preventative med (I think preventative med residencies require it, or else incorporate it into the residency) and very general things that are NOT taught in med school, but it's also a very different focus. Medicine is focused on the individual, and public health could care less about the individual and focuses on trends and groups - it doesn't matter if one person has a heart attack.

In my cohort (about 15 people in my entering class) there were about 5 of us that knew we wanted to eventually end up in medicine, and took electives accordingly. There are quite a few in policy, working with the dept of public health, or working for agencies or on research studies.

It's a great program, and very fun, but it does take some time and effort, and it's a very different focus than what most people coming from biological sciences/hard sciences/medicine are used to. There are some programs you can do via correspondance, but so much of the discipline (at least as it was taught to me) is involved with working with groups, that you'd have to look very critically at distance programs (I really have never looked at any, so please dont' flame me).

Good luck.
MPH on Thursday finally!!!!!

 

UNTHSC-TCOM has an excellent DO/MPH program. I'm currently writing my thesis this semester.

 

BooBooBear,

In most cases, MPH coursework is not too difficult. Although I did not do the dual thing (I have the MPH from Loma Linda and am a DO student (supposed to start this year, but deferred to run a non-profit org) at COMP), I can't imagine that you would find it that much more challenging. Although you may spend one more year in school.

However, really consider its value to you. With the DO you have the credentials to do what most public health specialists can, thus the MPH is just filler. My experience was that the curriculum for MPH was very general, and mostly common sense. It gave me something to do in between undergrad and medical school, but at the cost of an additional $30K! There are some components that have been valuable in the work I am doing during this year off, but I believe that my previous experiences and interests would have qualified me anyways for my position. So, most of the time I just use my MPH to lend credibility to my work!

Actually, if your interest is Prevent Med, then most Pr Med residency programs will build in the MPH during your residency. It is a 3 year gig, the last two which are really cushy. Nice banker hours and I believe other than the 1st year, most Prevent Med residents have no clue what it means to be on call past 5pm. So, if that is your angle, check it out, because the class time is part of your training, and the MPH is paid for. Obviously not what I did, but my interest is not Prevent Med. I think Loma Linda's Pr Med program is pretty good.

If you'd like more info here's my email -
[email protected]

 

msucom has one as well. Good luck everyone.